Vacuum mopping device



' Feb. 4, 1958 c. D. PETTIT ETAL VACUUM MOPPING DEVICE Filed Feb. 26, 1954 LEO cwme;

ATTORNEYS United States Patent() VACUUM MOPPING DEVICE Charles D. Pettit and Echo L. Pettit, Salt Lake City, Utah ApplicationFehr-uary 26, 1954, Serial No. 412,738 1 Claim. (Cl. 183-94) This invention relates to an improved vacuum mopping device of the squeegee type which is adapted to be attached to a household vacuum cleaner, and the primary object of the invention is to provide a more efficient and elfective device of this kind which sucks the water from a wet mopped floor surface.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a device of the character indicated above which includes a water reservoir to hold water which is sucked from a floor or other surface to which the device is applied.

A further important object of the invention is to provide a compact device of the character indicated above which is of simple construction, is light in weight, composed of a minimum of parts, and is susceptible of being made in a rugged, serviceable, and attractive form, of a variety of suitable materials, especially molded plastic, at relatively low cost.

Other important objects and advantageous features of the invention will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings, wherein, for purposes -of illustration only, a specific embodiment of the invention is set forth in detail.

Figure 1 is a schematic side elevation showing said embodiment connected to a household vacuum cleaner and positioned in operative relation to a floor;

Figure 2 is an enlarged and contracted side elevation, partly in section of said embodiment by itself;

Figure 3 is a front elevation of the head, partly in longitudinal section;

Figure 4 is a bottom plan view of the head; and

Figures 5 and 6 are transverse vertical sections taken on the lines 55 and 6-6 of Figure 3.

Referring in detail to the drawings, wherein like numerals designate like parts throughout the several views, the numeral 7 generally designates the illustrated mopping device, which is shown connected to the flexible suction hose 8 of a conventional tank type vacuum cleaner 9.

The mopping device 7 comprises a body which is composed of an elongated hollow reservoir cylinder or tank 1'10 having a closed, squared lower end 11 and a rounded or domed closed upper end 12. A valve seat 13 is provided in the lower part of the lower cylinder end 11, and a tapered plug valve 14 is normally engaged in the seat 13. An operating rod 15 has a lower end extending through the valve 14 and securing means 16 thereon hold-s the valve 14 in place.

The operating rod 15 has a lower portion 17 which is parallel to the side wall 18 of the cylinder 10, an intermediate portion 19 which is angled upwardly relative to the cylinder side wall 18, and a straight upper portion 20 which extends axially and upwardly through a hole 21 provided in the center of the upper end 12 of the cylinder 10.

An operating knob 22 is fixed in the upper end of the operating rod 15 and is spaced above the upper end 12 of the cylinder 10. A helical expanding spring 23 is circumposed on the rod 15 and is compressed between the upper end 12 of the cylinder and the knob, so

2,322,061 Patented Feb. 4, 1958 ice that the valve 14 is normally held up in place in the valve seat 12. Pressing downwardly upon the knob 22 unseats the valve 14 and permits water present in the cylinder 10 to drain out through the valve seat 13.

Preferably formed as a part of the upper area of the cylinder side wall 18 is a straight suction pipe 24 which extends along the side wall 18 within the cylinder 10 and has an upper end portion 25 which is spaced downwardly from the tank upper end 12, and which is directed at an upward angle toward the opposite part of the cylinder side wall 18 and terminates in an open end 26.

The suction pipe 24 has a lower part which extends through an upper part of the cylinder lower end 11, as indicated at 27, and which terminates in an open lower end 28.

Fixed on the outside of the upper part of the cylinder side wall 18 near and below the upper end portion 25 of the suction pipe 24, and surrounding openings 29 and 30 provided in the=side wall 18 and in the suction pipe 24, respectively, is a suction bell 31 which terminates at its upper end in a nipple 32, onto which the vacuum cleaner suction hose 8 is removably connected by suitable means indicated at 33.

The mopping device 7 further includes a mopping head 34 which comprises a horizontally elongated hollow cylindrical manifold 35 having open ends 36, 36 into which are fitted removable, preferably rubber, headed plugs 37, 37. The plugs 37, 37 are readily removable for cleaning the interior of the manifold 35.

Extending along the bottom part of the side wall 38 of the manifold 35, and preferably formed integral therewith, is a flange 39 having flat, parallel front and rear sides 40 and 41, respectively, and a rounded lower edge 42. At equally spaced intervals therealong the flange 39 is provided with vertical holes or passages 43 which open through the rounded lower edge 42 and communicate at their upper ends with holes 44 provided in the manifold side wall 38.

Flexible, preferably rubber, flaps 45 are secured to the underside of the manifold 35 near the ends 36, 36 thereof and depend below the lower edge 42 of the flange 39.

Flexible front and real flexible squeegee blades 46 and 47, respectively, are secured to the front and rear sides 40 and 41, respectively, of the flange 39 by bolts or the like 48, which traverse the blades 46 and 47 and the flange 39 at spaced intervals therealong, and at points between the suction passages 43 in the flange 39.

The blades 46 and 47 depend below the lower edge 42 of the flange 39 and have lower edges 49 and 50, respectively, for mopping engagement with a floor or the like 51. The lower edge 42 of the flange 39 is rounded to provide for freer flexing of the blades 46 and 47. Because of the described arrangement of the blades 46 and 47 the device effectively mops in either a forward or a rearward direction. The blades 46 and 47, the lower edge 42 of the flange 39, and the end flaps 45, to which the blades are unconnected, but in contact, form a deformable suction chamber.

The lower parts of the blades 46 and 47 below the lower flange edge 42 are provided with transverse suction holes 52 and 53, respectively, which are aligned with the suction passages 43 of the flange 39. The space between the lower edge 42 of the flange 39 and the facing sides of the blades 46 and 47 is rendered a substantially closed suction space, when the blades are in contact with the floor 51, by the presence of the flaps 45 which bridge the blades 46 and 47 at their opposite ends.

A fixed, rigid tapered neck 54 surrounds an opening 55 in the upper part of the side wall 38 of the manifold 35 and terminates in a rearwardly inclined tube 56 :to

which the lower end of the suction pipe is connected,

Qqsaaoar As the head 34 is moved alonga wet floor 51 with the blades 46 and 47 in contact with the floor and the vacuum cleaner 9 being in operation, water accumulated by and on the blades 46 and 47 will be sucked through the blade holes 52 and 53 and drawn upwardly through the passages 43 into the manifold 35,;and removed therefrom .via the suction pipe 24 into the reservoir cylinder 10. The'water enters the upper part of the reservoir 10 and falls to the bottom of the cylinder 10. Securing strips 58 and 59 are interposed between the blades 46 and 47 and the nuts 60 and heads 61 of the bolts.

What is claimed is:

In a device of the character described, an elongated sub-. stantially upright hollow cylinder having ,a side wall (and closed upper and lower ends, a suction pipe extending upwardly through the lower-end of thecylinder and into the interior of the-cylinder,.said suction pipe having an open lower end below the lower end of the cylinder and an open upper end, said suctionpipezhavingga'rportion within the cylinder extending, along the cylinder side wall and positioned close to said side wall, said:portion of the suction pipe terminating in. said openupper end, and said. open upper end beinglocated close to and spaced downwardly: from the. closed upper endiof the-cylinder, the cylinder sidewall alongrsaidsuction pipe portion having an elongated Opening longitudinally of the cylinder,

'4: said elongated opening being located near to and being spaced below the open upper end of the suction pipe, and an external suction bell secured to the cylinder side wall around said elongated opening, said bell having a nipple to which suction means is adapted to be connected, said closed upper end of the cylinder being hemispherical and having a concave lower surface, .with the open upper end of the suction pipe facing upwardly and laterally inwardly toward said concave surfaceu.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES v PATENTS 942,585 Parkeri Dec. 7, 1909 954,541 Raymond et al Apr. 12, 1910 1,057,253 Matchette Mar. 25, 1913 1,452,447 Thatcher Apr. 17, 1923 1,690,472 Breton Nov. 6, 1928 1,762,142 Breton June 10, 1930 1,849,663 Finnell- Man-15, 1932 2,549,181 Durham- Apr. 17, 1951 2,639,005 Gerstmann May 19, 1953 2,677,144 Parry- May 4, 1954 2,726,807 Lewis Dec. 13, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS 48,729. Denmark May 7, 1934 

